How To Clean a Bathroom Exhaust Fan

Here's the program — don't fail the fan.

Time

An hour or less

Complexity

Beginner

Toll

Less than $20

Introduction

That little fan in the celling is more than important than you might call up. It helps get rid of odors, airborne contaminants and moisture in the air. A fan covered in dust doesn't work efficiently, somewhen leading to mold, mildew and possibly a house fire. Give information technology a good cleaning about every six months. Read on to find out how to clean your bathroom frazzle fan.

Tools Required

Materials Required

  • Microfiber towel

Projection step-by-step (5)

Step 1

Remove the Vent Cover

  • First, be certain the ability is turned off to the fan. To be extra safe, turn off the circuit at the breaker box.
  • If it'southward just a vent with no low-cal, remove the vent cover by gently pulling downward on it, so squeezing the metallic mounting wires together on both sides. Slide them out of their slots, removing them from the fan housing.
  • If your vent comprehend has a calorie-free, disconnect the wire commencement. Press the release tab on the connector before removing the comprehend.

exhaust fan open

Footstep two

Clean the Vent Cover

  • Cleaning a comprehend without a light is simple. Fill your bath sink with warm water and a few drops of dish soap. Soak the cover in the soapy h2o for a few minutes, and so scrub it with a cloth or brush. Place the comprehend on a towel and permit it air dry while you lot move on to the next step — cleaning the fan.
  • If your fan encompass has a low-cal, exercise not submerge it in water . Simply vacuum off the dust, wipe it clean with a damp textile, then air dry.

exhaust fan clean

Pace three

Make clean the Fan Without Removing the Motor

  • Use a vacuum with a crevice attachment to remove most of the dust. Then switch to a castor attachment for the fan motor components and fan housing. Maintain a light touch on then you don't impairment annihilation.
  • Once yous remove the dry grit, take a damp microfiber cloth and wipe downward the fan components and housing. This should remove whatever remaining dirt.

exhaust fan being vacuumed

Step iv

Remove the Motor for Deep Cleaning

  • Don't be afraid to further disassemble the fan. Depending on your make and model, just 2 or three screws hold the fan motor in the housing. (A magnetic tip screwdriver works well for this.)
  • To remove the fan motor, begin by unplugging the connector or plug that powers the fan.

exhaust fan

  • Next, remove the mounting screws that hold the motor to the housing. Remember to hold the motor with one manus while removing the last screw, and so lower the motor from the housing.

exhaust fan

  • Vacuum the motor and/or take it exterior and blow the dust from the motor and fan blades with forced air. A minor, soft bristle brush works well to remove caked-on grit.

Exhaust fan

  • Give the motor, fan blades and fan housing a skilful wipe downwardly with a damp microfiber cloth earlier re-installing the motor back in the housing.

cleaning exhaust fan

Step five

Reassemble the Frazzle Fan

  • With a make clean fan and a cover looking similar new, information technology'due south time to put the fan back together. If you removed the motor, your offset step is to put it back in place and replace the screws.
  • Next, plug in the fan. Then put the encompass dorsum on by inserting the mounting wires back into their slots, then gently pushing the cover into identify.

putting together clean exhaust fan